The Chief Minister's Office of Gujarat announced on Thursday, 25 June 2026 that Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel personally enrolled 209 students of Standards 9 and 11 at the Model School in Sanand, Ahmedabad district, on the third day of the 24th Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav 2026, an annual state-wide drive targeting 100% school enrollment.

Context

The Shala Praveshotsav (School Enrollment Festival) and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav (Girls' Education Festival) are Gujarat's flagship annual programs aimed at bringing every child — with a particular emphasis on girls — into the formal schooling system. Now in its 24th edition, the festival reflects over two decades of sustained state effort to raise enrollment and retention rates at the secondary level. Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, who has helmed the state since 2021, personally participated in the event, underscoring the political weight the Gujarat government places on the initiative.

Policy Backdrop

Gujarat launched the Shala Praveshotsav drive in the early 2000s as a structured campaign to bridge enrollment gaps, particularly at transition points such as entry into secondary and higher-secondary classes. The dual mandate — universal enrollment and targeted outreach for girls — has since been institutionalised as a multi-day, district-level event with senior ministers and the Chief Minister visiting schools across the state. The Model School at Sanand, an industrial town in Ahmedabad district, was selected as the venue for day three, reflecting its recognition as a high-performing government institution.

During the programme, Chief Minister Patel felicitated talented and high-achieving students, recognised the school's principal for delivering a 100% board result, and honoured donors who have contributed generously to the school — a practice designed to encourage private philanthropy in public education infrastructure.

Stakeholders and Impact

The immediate beneficiaries are the 209 students formally enrolled in Standards 9 and 11 at Sanand Model School on this single day. Across the state, secondary students, school administrators, and private donors form the broader ecosystem the festival seeks to activate. The recognition of principals and donors is a deliberate policy tool: by publicly honouring institutions that achieve full results and individuals who fund improvements, the state creates incentives for academic performance and community investment in government schools.

Girls' education remains a central pillar. The Kanya Kelavani component specifically targets families who may otherwise withdraw daughters from school at the secondary stage, using the festival as a social mobilisation moment to normalise continued female enrollment.

What's Next

The 24th Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav 2026 is a multi-day event, with the third day's proceedings at Sanand forming one node in a statewide rollout. Final aggregate enrollment figures from across all districts will indicate whether Gujarat is on track to meet its 100% enrollment target for this cycle. Any announcements on expanding the Model School network or scaling donor-recognition frameworks are also expected as the festival concludes.